If you’ve never been much into local politics, now is a good time to start. There are elections coming up in April for your city council seats, mayor, different propositions that could change your tax rates—basically, a lot of shit that will have a huge impact on your day-to-day.
So, where can you find information on all of this?
It depends on how connected to the internet and social media your town is.
If your community is small, maybe just a few hundred people, you might not have a city website or a Facebook page to check (or maybe you don’t fuck with social media in the first place). Calling or dropping into town hall is a good place to start. A lot of times, everything might be housed in a single building, or anywhere you need to go for election information is close by. If you work the same hours they’re open, give them a call.
Key things to ask about:
- Sample ballots – This will show exactly what the fuck you’ll be voting on and help you research candidates and issues ahead of time.
- Where to vote – You can verify your polling place, and if you’re not sure where to go, you can look it up here.
- Early voting options – Most places let you vote ahead of Election Day. If you can’t get off work, will be out of town, or don’t want to risk getting sick at the last minute, check your state’s early voting options here.
If your community is larger—maybe a few thousand people or more—your town probably has a website or a Facebook page with election information. This is a great way to get dates, times, and locations of public meetings where you can hear about what’s on the ballot. Some cities even livestream these meetings. But if you can, go in person. Just like with your district and state reps, your local officials work for YOU—you deserve their time.
Make a plan to vote. Educate yourself. Show up.
Find your local election details and check your registration status here.
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